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J. WALMSLEY. Potato Digger- No. 67,004. f- Patented July 23,1867.

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IMPROVEMENT IN POTATO-BIGGER.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERNE Be it known that I, JOHN WALMSLEY, of the cityof Buffalo, in the county of Erie, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and improved Potato-Raiser and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which I Figure 1 is a side elevation.

Figure 2 is a plan, with the beam and handles removed.

Figure 3 is a detached perspective view of the combined point, share, and head, in which the riddlers are secured.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view, showing a plan of the front end or the sole to which the'share is fastened.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the same with the share attached, representing the manner of securing the latter thereto.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention consists in the peculiar. arrangement of the riddlers', by which the earth is permitted to sift through more readily, and in the special construction of a combined point and share, and a head in which the riddlers are fastened, together with the manner of securing, them to the end of the sole.

In the drawings, A represents the main casting, consisting of the sole 6, with a web or plate, 0, of the form shown, with a tenon, d, at the top, extending through a mortise in the beam E in the usual manner. F is the combinedpoint and share. it is a head, in which are fastened the ends of the rods or riddlers g g and H the handles, secured to each side of the end of the beam and to the casting A in any ordinary and suitable manner. The point and share F are east together, of substantially the form shown, with a slightly convex upper surface. The head it is also cast, and provided with holes ii for the insertion of the ends of the riddlers ggt which may be secured therein by riveting, or by nuts, so as to be easily removableif required. Two or more lugs, s, are cast with the head on its front side, upon which rests the rear of the share F, as shown in fig. 5. The under side of the share I prefer to cast with slight recesses for the reception of these lugs, to secure it against lateral displacement, the share being fastened to the end of the sole by a screw-bolt, 'n, as also represented most clearly in fig. 5. This end of the sole is formed with a flattened portion,.J, having a transvers: groove, m, in its upper surface, in which fits the head it, and is securely fastened therein by a screw-bolt, 11, passing through it and the end of the sole, as shown. The space between the share and sole in the angle formed by the head and share may be filled in with a piece of wood, 0, which renders the connection more firm. The riddlers gg are made of rods or small bars, four or more in number, on each side of the web a, curved as shown in fig. 1, and so arranged that the outer and alternate rods g g are arranged higher than the intermediate ones 9', for the purpose presently to be explained.

My improvement is operated by drawing the machine along the row, the point penetrating the earth beneath the potatoes, and the share elevating the mass above, the dirt falling through the riddlers, while the potatoes are deposited at their rear upon the surface of the ground.

When the riddlers are arranged at the same height, their proximity is such that the earth, when ofa clayey or tenacious nature, is not readily separated from the potatoes,-but is sometimes carried over with them in an unbroken mass. By my improved arrangement, the elevated mass being supported by one-half the number of riddlers, viz, the upper ones g, which, being twice the distance apart from what they are when arranged according to the old plan, causes the earth to break atthe unsupported centre between the bearings and fall in pieces, and sift through between them and the intermediate lower ones g, while the potatoes are carried over and deposited on the ground behind. Another advantage of this arrangement is that the alternate depression of the rods g forms sorts of ways, in which the potatoesare guided back and left in a row, instead of being so scattered over the ground that some become liable to be covered up by the dirt from the machine in raising the adjacent row. The riddlers at their rear also operate as a rake, which uncovers any small potatoes that may have fallen through between the riddlers with the earth. By my improved construction only three pieces of castings, A F h, are required, and the manner of securing the latter two to the sole is simple, and at the same time firm.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

The arrangement of the riddlers g g and g g", in the manner and for the purpose described.

I also claim the head 71, provided with lugs s, and holes z'z'for the insertion of the riddlers, in combination with the combined point and share F, screw-bolts n n and end J of the sole, constructed and arranged substantinny in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

In witness w e eof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN WALMSLEY.

W'itnesses:

JAY HYATT, ALBERT HAIGHT. 

